Combined pump and motor

ABSTRACT

A combined pump and hydraulic motor comprising a plurality of independent sections at least some being of different characteristics from each other, each section comprising an impeller and an encasing housing, a driving connection between the impellers and a valve selectively connecting these sections in parallel or in opposition in braking relation to vary the speed incrementally or in bypassing relation to certain sections to vary the torque and/or speed.

United States Patent Inventor Frank J. Wallace 1657 N. Washtenaw Ave., Chicago, 111. 60647 Ap l. No. 790,660 Filed Jan. 13, 1969 Patented June 1, 1971 COMBINED PUMP AND MOTOR 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. U.S. Cl 418/210, 60/53, 91/41] lnt.Cl F15b 11/16 Field 01 Search 60/53 D, 53 C;9l/4l 1,411 A;4l8/209,2l0, 211

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,349,924 8/1920 Swanson 60/53C FROM PUM P 2,370,526 2/1945 Doran 60/53C 2.374.588 4/1945 Doran 60/53D 2,619,799 12/1952 Jewell 60/53C 2.979306 4/1961 Maye 60/5 3C Primary Examiner-Edgar W. Geoghegan Attorney-John l. Kowalik ABSTRACT: A combined pump and hydraulic motor comprising a plurality of independent sections at least some being of different characteristics from each other, each section comprising an impeller and an encasing housing, a driving connection between the impellers and a valve selectively connecting these sections in parallel or in opposition in braking relation to vary the speed incrementally or in bypassing relation to certain sections to vary the torque and/or speed.

TO SUMP P N E JUN nan 3; 582,245

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I Inventor Frank J. Wallace Arfo rney PIC-L2 COMBINED PUMP AND MOTOR DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art as known to applicant merely provides a single pump or motor and does not envision the use of multiple units to augment each other or to control each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a novel pump and motor combination for hydraulic fluid wherein a plurality of segments are used to controland/or supplement the output of each other.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel unit in which a plurality of pump and/or motor sections are coupled to each other and wherein means are provided to utilize the sections additively with each other or in opposition to each other to control the torque and/or speed of a common output shaft.

A further object is to provide a unit in which one or more sections may be closed off in accordance with the power requirements.

A still further object is to provide a novel hydraulic system wherein the sections of the unit may be bypassed into a common outlet to reduce back pressure in the outlet for the operating sections, thereby augmenting the flow of fluid therethrough.

Another object is to provide a novel hydrokinetic unit in which a plurality of pump and/or motor sections are arranged on a common output shaft and in which by appropriate valving certain of the sections may be used as motors and the others may have back pressures applied thereto to serve as brakes thereby controlling the speed of the output shaft at an infinite range.

A more specific object of the invention resides in providing a series of hydrokinetic devices on a common shaft and wherein said devices may have different torque characteristics and wherein means are provided to couple these sections in various combinations to provide a desired torque output.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent from the specifications and the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the novel hydrokinetic unit taken substantially on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a top view partly in radial section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Describing the invention in detail and having particular reference to the drawings, there is shown an hydraulic system generally designated 2 which comprises a hydrokinetic unit3 made up of a plurality of pump and/or motor sections 4, 5, 6'

and 7, each of which may have different torque and/or speed characteristics.

Each section comprises a housing portion 10 providing a chamber 11 with a generally toroidal surface profile 12 within which operates an impeller 13 comprising an annulus 14 having a central bore 15 mounted on an output shaft 16 and connected thereto by a key 17.

The annulus or cylindrical block 14 is provided with a plurality of axially elongated radial slots l8, 18 into each of which there is slidably complementally fitted a blade or vane 19 which is adapted to reciprocate radially as it is carried about the axis of the output shaft 16. The blades have outer edges 21 which sweep against the surface 12 and being biased thereagainst by centrifugal force.

Each housing portion 10 is provided with an inlet port 23 leading into the chamber 11 and an outlet port 25, The impeller is arranged to rotate pursuant to introduction of fluid (as shown by the arrows 26) into the inlet, said fluid exhausting through the outlet.

The hydraulic system includes a sump 30 connected to the inlet pipe 31 of a pump 32 which has an outlet connected to a pressure line 33. The pressure line 33 is connected at spaced points to a plurality of branch lines 34, 34 one for each pump motor section. Each branch line is connected to a valve G which may be incrementally opened or closed by the operator. The valve G is connected by a pipe 35 to the inlet port 23 of the associated section and to a bypass line 36 which is controlledby a valve E. The bypass line is connected with pipe 38 which at one end is connected to the outlet port 25 of the related section and at itsother end is connected to a control valve P which is connected to the outlet line 41 which leads into the sump.

The sections 4-7 are bolted together by bolts 43, 43 and are separated from each other by side walls 44, 45 and 46, the sections 4 and 7 having outer end walls 47, 48. These side and end walls may be finely ground so that no seals may be required between them or they may have seals between themselves and the related housing segments. The intermediate walls 44, 45 and 46 may be provided with seals 50 against the shaft as best seen in FIG. 2.

In operation, if for example, only section 4 is required, then' all of the valves G, except the one governing inflow to section 4, would be closed. If more torque is required then the valves G of further sections would be. opened. Concurrently the valves F of respective sections would be opened.

If the speed of the motor is to be governed then one or more valves G and E would be opened while the valve F of the respective section would be closed. This would cause a back pressure to develop in the outlet which would react against the backsides 5-2 of the blades 19 and therefore resist the normal rotation of the output shaft thus controlling the speed.

Another way of controlling speed, assuming that one or more of the sections are operating, is to open valves G, E and F ofa particular section to bleed offa portion of the fluid.

Thus a novel and simple hydraulic system has been provided with variable controls for varying the speed and/or torque applied to the outputshaft.

The motor is reversible by closing valve 60 at the pump and opening valve 66, whereupon fluid flows through pipe 41, through open valve F of the respective sections, (Valve E of such sections being closed), the port 25, chamber 12 and theport 23 to pipe 35, open valve 0, pipe 34 and through pipe 33, open valve 62 and outlet pipe 64 to the sump.

In the first described direction of flow of fluid, the valves 62, 66 are closed, concurrently with valve 60 being open, and return is through open valve 68 and outlet pipe to the sump.

I claim:

1. An hydraulic system comprising a plurality of hydrokinetic devices coupled together to a common output shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means 1 for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of respective devices, and means including a fluid bypass for each of said devices coupled between the inlet port thereo and said inflow controlling valve means.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and means connect-v ing each bypass line with the outlet port of the respective device and valve means for controlling fluid outflow from said outlets disposed downstream of the connections of the bypass lines with the outlets. l

3. An hydraulic system comprising. a plurality of hydrokinetic devices coupled together to a common output shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of the respective devices, and means for selectively shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of the respective devices, and each of said devices having different operating characteristics, and means for selectively connecting said devices additively and in opposition to each other for controlling speed and torque output thereof.

7. The invention according to claim 6 and said devices comprising coaxially disposed housing portions, and means securing said portions in thermal contact'with each other.

8. The invention according to claim 7 and said each valve means being individually selectively operable to open and closed positions to control the flow of fluid therethrough.

9. The invention according to claim 3 and said valve means each having incremental open and closed positions. 

1. An hydraulic system comprising a plurality of hydrokinetic devices coupled together to a common output shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of respective devices, and means including a fluid bypass for each of said devices coupled between the inlet port thereof and said inflow controlling valve means.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 and means connecting each bypass line with the outlet port of the respective device and valve means for controlling fluid outflow from said outlets disposed downstream of the connections of the bypass lines with the outlets.
 3. An hydraulic system comprising A plurality of hydrokinetic devices coupled together to a common output shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of the respective devices, and means for selectively providing a back pressure in the outlet port of each device.
 4. An hydraulic system comprising a plurality of hydrokinetic devices coupled together to a common output shaft, each of said devices having inlet and outlet ports, means for supplying pressure fluid to said inlet ports, and valve means for controlling the inflow of the fluid into said inlet ports of the respective devices, and each of said devices having different operating characteristics, and means for selectively connecting said devices additively and in opposition to each other for controlling speed and torque output thereof.
 5. The invention according to claim 2 and each device comprising a housing having a chamber with an impeller therein and said inlet and outlet thereof being disposed to introduce fluid in opposition to each other against said impeller.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 and said inflow valve means, said bypass valve means and said outflow valve means adapted to be opened concurrently for reducing the pressure in the pressure line and thereby controlling the output of the other of said devices.
 7. The invention according to claim 6 and said devices comprising coaxially disposed housing portions, and means securing said portions in thermal contact with each other.
 8. The invention according to claim 7 and said each valve means being individually selectively operable to open and closed positions to control the flow of fluid therethrough.
 9. The invention according to claim 3 and said valve means each having incremental open and closed positions. 